The Federal Science College, Ogoja, in Cross Rivers State, is on the brink of corruption, insecurity, and mismanagement. It’s pertinent to note that federal science colleges are two in the country – one in Ogoja CRS and the other in Sokoto state.
The school in Ogoja is noted to produce quality students competing all over the world. For instance, students from South Africa were trained in Ogoja were trained in Ogoja Federal Science. Today, Ogoja federal science college is dumping ground for indisciplined students, sexual abuse by students, incessant stealing in school premises lack of diligence on the side of the school management and the principal security men and the staff are not paid for three months, having dilapidated buildings, students are not adequately fed, no good laboratories, a large school premises but few serious police men and internal security men employed by the principal of the school.
The federal government has a stake in supervising the school management, keeping auditors in check of the school account promptly for accountability, and providing appropriate security in all schools to secure our young children. Ogoja federal science is not exceptional; insecurity is alarming.
The College was established in 1974, headed by Professor Owoniyi. Then the school was very competitive. The students were well taken care of, and one will say education is the bedrock of economic transformation and human existence, but now the situation in the school is deteriorating. It is disheartening that the students engage in stealing, armed robbery, and raping. Cases have been reported at the Ogoja divisional police headquarters and were transferred to the state police headquarters in Calabar for discreet investigation in 2024. The school needs to be reformed.
